Pressures to be "shedding for the wedding": An evaluation of the tripartite influence model of disordered eating and body dissatisfaction among engaged women

Disordered eating and body image concerns are particularly prevalent among women who are engaged to be married (i.e., brides-to-be), and this population may be subject to increased social and cultural pressure to achieve specific appearance ideals. The tripartite influence model purports that appearance pressures from four sources (peers, family, romantic partners, and media) influence body image and disordered eating outcomes through thin ideal internalization and appearance comparison. The present cross-sectional study sought to examine the relationships between tripartite theory constructs, body image, and disordered eating among 329 brides-to-be using path analysis with robust estimation. In the final model, media influence was the only tripartite predictor associated with both thin ideal internalization and appearance comparison. Further, thin ideal internalization and appearance comparison were associated with disordered eating directly as well as indirectly through body dissatisfaction. Altogether, the influence variables explained 39 % of the variance in disordered eating. While appearance pressures from media, peers, and partners were indirectly associated with disordered eating through one or more hypothesized indirect pathways, appearance pressure from family was not, indicating this relationship may be uniquely impacted by other factors not captured in tripartite models. Results suggest that family and media influence are most strongly associated with disordered eating in this group and have the capacity to inform future research as well as intervention development and dissemination.

Examining the utility of nonlinear machine learning approaches versus linear regression for predicting body image outcomes: The U.S. Body Project I

Most body image studies assess only linear relations between predictors and outcome variables, relying on techniques such as multiple Linear Regression. These predictor variables are often validated multi-item measures that aggregate individual items into a single scale. The advent of machine learning has made it possible to apply Nonlinear Regression algorithms-such as Random Forest and Deep Neural Networks-to identify potentially complex linear and nonlinear connections between a multitude of predictors (e.g., all individual items from a scale) and outcome (output) variables. Using a national dataset, we tested the extent to which these techniques allowed us to explain a greater share of the variance in body-image outcomes (adjusted R²) than possible with Linear Regression. We examined how well the connections between body dissatisfaction and dieting behavior could be predicted from demographic factors and measures derived from objectification theory and the tripartite-influence model. In this particular case, although Random Forest analyses sometimes provided greater predictive power than Linear Regression models, the advantages were small. More generally, however, this paper demonstrates how body image researchers might harness the power of machine learning techniques to identify previously undiscovered relations among body image variables.

An application of psychosocial frameworks for eating disorder risk during the postpartum period: A review and future directions

The postpartum period may be a particular window of vulnerability for eating disorder symptoms given changes to body shape and weight that women experience. However, no quantitative studies have identified risk factors for postpartum eating disorder symptoms, and current psychosocial frameworks of risk may be missing key elements unique to this period. This manuscript reviews existing quantitative and qualitative literature regarding the developmental trajectory of eating disorder symptoms during the perinatal period and proposes an application of three psychosocial models of eating disorder risk (objectification theory, the tripartite influence model of body image and eating disturbances, and social comparison theory) to the postpartum period. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative literature, this paper identifies novel postpartum-specific factors that should be included for consideration in psychosocial models (e.g., self-oriented body comparison and pressure to achieve a prepregnancy weight and shape). This review is the first to theorize potential postpartum-specific risk factors for postpartum eating disorder symptoms. Prior models of eating disorder risk omit key psychosocial factors that are unique to the postpartum period. Other limitations of prior research relate to measurement and methodology. This critical window of vulnerability has been largely ignored in the quantitative literature and necessitates further research.

Anxious and Depressive Symptomatology Among Male Youth: The Joint and Interactive Contribution of Temperament and Executive Functioning

Few studies have investigated the combined effects of temperament and executive functioning (EF) on anxious and depressive symptomatology in youth. The current study is the first to investigate the joint and interactive contribution of mother- and youth self-reported affective dimensions of temperament and EF to the explanation of anxious and depressive symptomatology. Participants included 174 adolescent males (M _age = 13.6 ± 1.35). Results confirmed the joint and interactive contribution of temperament in the explanation of anxious and depressive symptomatology. Further, EF contributed to the explanation of anxious/depressive symptomatology via interaction with youth-, but not mother-reported, temperament; it was not a unique predictor. Results support the need to consider both affective dimensions of temperament and EF in etiological models of anxious and depressive symptomatology, which has implications for identifying at-risk youth and developing early intervention and targeted problem-specific prevention programs.

The structure of negative emotional states in a postpartum inpatient sample

BACKGROUND

Depression and anxiety disorders exhibit comorbidity, and the same relationships have been observed in postpartum samples. The tripartite model posits that anxiety and depression overlap due to shared and unique symptom components. The present study tested whether a one-factor model, or a three-factor model consistent with the tripartite model, provided a better fit to anxiety and depression symptoms in a postpartum sample.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 663 postpartum psychiatric inpatients who completed self-reported questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a three-factor model consistent with the tripartite model provided a good fit to anxiety/depression data. This model consisted of three factors: positive affect, negative affect, and autonomic arousal. Positive affect was related to depressive diagnoses and negatively related to anxiety diagnoses; autonomic arousal was related to anxiety diagnoses; and negative affect was uniquely related to mixed anxiety-depressive diagnoses.

LIMITATIONS

The sample consisted of postpartum psychiatric inpatients and the generalisability of results to other postpartum samples is not known.

CONCLUSIONS

Postpartum anxiety and depression appear to be characterised by three differentiable symptom clusters. Postpartum anxiety, depression, and mixed anxiety-depressive diagnoses are differentially associated with these symptom clusters. These findings suggest that the tripartite model may be useful in guiding assessment, differentiation, and treatment of postpartum emotional disorders.

A test of athletic internalisation as a mediator in the relationship between sociocultural influences and body dissatisfaction in women

The tripartite model has been an important and empirically supported theoretical model positing that the influence of peers, family, and media leads women to internalise the thin societal body ideal. This internalisation in turn leads women to experience body dissatisfaction. Recently, a new societal 'athletic ideal' for women has emerged, which promotes a body frame with pronounced lean muscle mass. This study tested the role of the athletic ideal in the tripartite model of influence with a sample of 421 women aged 17-40 years. Athletic ideal internalisation was neither found to be associated with body dissatisfaction, nor act as a mediator in the relationship between sociocultural influences and body dissatisfaction. Although more research is required, the results of this study suggest that for this cross-sectional sample of women, internalisation of an athletic and muscular, rather than thin ideal, may be less detrimental to body satisfaction.

Symptom dimensions of affective disorders in migraine patients

OBJECTIVE

A strong association has been established between migraine and depression. However, this is the first study to differentiate in a large sample of migraine patients for symptom dimensions of the affective disorder spectrum.

METHODS

Migraine patients (n=3174) from the LUMINA (Leiden University Medical Centre Migraine Neuro-analysis Program) study and patients with current psychopathology (n=1129), past psychopathology (n=477), and healthy controls (n=561) from the NESDA (Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety) study, were compared for three symptom dimensions of depression and anxiety. The dimensions -lack of positive affect (depression specific); negative affect (nonspecific); and somatic arousal (anxiety specific)- were assessed by a shortened adaptation of the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (MASQ-D30). Within the migraine group, the association with migraine specific determinants was established. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Migraine patients differed significantly (p<0.001) from healthy controls for all three dimensions: Cohen's d effect sizes were 0.37 for lack of positive affect, 0.68 for negative affect, and 0.75 for somatic arousal. For the lack of positive affect and negative affect dimensions, migraine patients were predominantly similar to the past psychopathology group. For the somatic arousal dimension, migraine patients scores were more comparable with the current psychopathology group. Migraine specific determinants for high scores on all dimensions were high frequency of attacks and cutaneous allodynia during attacks.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that affective symptoms in migraine patients are especially associated with the somatic arousal component.

Validation of a short adaptation of the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ) in adolescents and young adults

The Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ) was developed to measure the symptom-dimensions of the tripartite model of anxiety and depression. A 30-item short adaptation of the MASQ (MASQ-D30) was previously developed and validated in adult psychiatric outpatients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the MASQ-D30 in a sample of adolescents and young adults. Help-seeking adolescents from Australia (N=147; mean age: 17.7 years; 58.8% female) completed the original, 90-item MASQ. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the construct validity (a 3-factor structure) of the original MASQ and the MASQ-D30. Internal consistencies and correlations with other instruments were calculated and compared between versions. CFA showed that the intended 3-factor structure fit adequately to the MASQ-D30 data (CFI=0.95; RMSEA=0.08). Internal consistencies ranged from 0.85 to 0.92 across the scales and patterns of correlations with the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) indicated adequate convergent/divergent properties. Importantly, the observed psychometric characteristics were comparable with the original MASQ and alternative short-forms. Results indicated that the MASQ-D30 is a valid and reliable instrument in young people, allowing for quick assessment of the tripartite dimensions of depression and anxiety.